Superion Inc. is making a $1 million investment in its Xenia, Ohio facility to grow its capabilities and capacity for manufacturing premium cutting tools.

The investment includes additional equipment and technology to boost sales of PCD rotary cutting tools. These tools – also known as diamond tools - have diamond grains embedded in the cutting edge so they last longer and perform better than traditional tools.

Superion manufactures PCD rotary cutting tools such as drills, reamers, port cutters, end mills and combined operation step tools for machining such materials as aluminum, carbon fiber (CFRP), fiberglass (GFRP) and graphite. While Superion supplies a variety of industries with several types of cutting tools, its line of PCD rotary cu

tting tools are popular with companies in the defense, aerospace and auto industries.
Al Choiniere, president of the Superion, expects this to be a sound investment because PCD-based tools are not going to be a commodity item in the near future.

"That sector of the industry, and of our business, should continue to grow," Choiniere said.
A big benefit to PCD rotary cutting tools is the longer tool life expectancy in relation to common carbide rotary cutting tools. In some cases, PCD-tipped drills have reached 1 million holes compared to carbide drills that may produce 30,000 holes. Another advantage of PCD tools is their ability to cut at accelerated speeds, often three times faster than carbide tools. Those factors, along with fewer tool changes/machine down time, allows users to be significantly more productive with fewer machines.
To even further enhance its high-performance rotary cutting tool offerings, Superion recently signed a partnership agreement with European-based FMT Tooling Systems.

FMT Tooling Systems manufactures a variety of carbide and PCD specialty cutting tools serving the same industries as Superion on a global scale. Through this partnership, Superion will sell and service the FMT specialty products directly from Superion's Ohio facility to best serve the customers of both companies.

Choiniere said this service will save end users significant time and money because the tools can be serviced in Ohio rather than shipping them back to Europe.

Learn more about Superion and FMT by visiting
www.superioninc.com or contacting Superion at (937) 373 0034.

In addition to the new investment and partnership, Superion recently sold its industrial blade business to American Cutting Edge in Centerville, a division of West Carrollton-based CB Manufacturing & Sales Co. The sale is allowing Superion to focus on its primary line, the manufacturing of precision cutting tools for metalworking.